Pakistan is set to achieve a major milestone in space exploration. A Pakistani astronaut will become the first foreign national to visit China’s Tiangong space station. China’s manned space agency announced the development on Saturday.
The upcoming mission will mark the first joint spaceflight involving Chinese and foreign astronauts. It will also represent an important step in space cooperation between Pakistan and China.
According to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), the Pakistani astronaut will travel aboard the Shenzhou-24 mission. The agency shared the announcement through its official social media account. However, it did not announce an exact launch date.
The mission is expected to take place before the end of 2026. The selected Pakistani astronaut will serve as a payload specialist during the flight. They will participate in a short-term orbital mission before returning to Earth.
According to the CMSA, the astronaut will return aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft. The spacecraft docked with China’s Tiangong space station in May. The upcoming mission will create a historic opportunity for Pakistan’s participation in human spaceflight.
The Chinese agency has not officially revealed the selected astronaut’s identity. However, it announced two Pakistani candidates in April. Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud were selected to begin astronaut training in China.
Both candidates passed three rounds of selection and assessment. They were chosen as reserve astronauts for the upcoming mission. After their selection, they joined China’s astronaut training programme.
The two candidates are undergoing the required training and evaluations. One of them will eventually take part in the crewed spaceflight. The other will remain available as a backup astronaut.
Pakistan and China have maintained close diplomatic and strategic relations for decades. Their cooperation also covers science, technology and space exploration. Both countries signed an agreement in February 2025 to train Pakistani astronauts in China.
Under the agreement, Pakistani astronauts will receive specialised training. They are also expected to participate in short-term missions alongside Chinese astronauts. These missions are planned over the coming years, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.
China has significantly expanded its space programme in recent years. The country has invested heavily in developing its space technology and capabilities. It also aims to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030.
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The upcoming mission will strengthen cooperation between the two countries. It will also give Pakistan a historic opportunity to participate in China’s human spaceflight programme. The selection of the Pakistani astronaut will be a major development for the country’s space ambitions.
